The Commander of the IDF Central Command, Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, on Thursday, signed an order prohibiting both Israeli citizens and Palestinian Arabs in Judea and Samaria from covering their faces, Kan Reshet Bet reported on Friday.
Under the new directive, individuals who conceal their faces in the area may face up to six months in prison. If the face covering is worn while committing an offense, the penalty increases to a two-year prison term.
The order is part of ongoing efforts to combat nationalist crimes and acts of Jewish terrorism, where perpetrators frequently use masks to conceal their identities. The directive excludes face coverings worn for religious purposes or by security personnel for operational needs.